Physician Assistant

Specialist Assistant

Medicine

A physician is a licensed health care professional who diagnoses, treats,
operates, or prescribes for any human disease, pain, injury, deformity,
or physical condition.

A physician assistant ("PA") is a licensed
health care professional who provides medical care under the supervision
of a physician. PAs provide a wide range of care within the area
of practice of the supervising physician.

A specialist assistant provides medical care under the supervision
of a physician in one of the four following specialty areas: orthopedics,
acupuncture, radiology, or urology.

A New York licensed physician
has completed a program of medical education and received the doctor
of medicine (M.D.), doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.), or equivalent degree. While
New York State requires a minimum of two years of postsecondary
education prior to medical school, most applicants admitted to medical school
have a minimum of a bachelor's degree. Medical programs include studies
in basic and medical sciences.

New
York licensed physicians have also completed a minimum of one year
of postgraduate training in an approved residency program; graduates of
unaccredited/unregistered medical schools must complete three years of residency
training and pass a proficiency exam. In addition, licensed physicians pass
a State-approved licensing examination.

Licensed New York
physician assistants have graduated from a two-to-four year State-approved
PA program; these programs often require two years of college-level
course work prior to admission, although some programs allow entry directly
from high school. In addition, PAs have passed a comprehensive licensing
examination.